The last thing anybody in America needs is a National ID Card.

The Wall Street Journal broke the story. The Obama Administration is getting ready to roll out the idea of a National ID Card with your fingerprints embedded in it. The ostensible reason? To try to go after the illegal alien problem.

The problem is, the Democrats don’t see the illegal aliens as a problem. They see them as a supply of fresh voters and fresh Union members.


Continue reading "Lars Larson: National ID Cards"

On Christmas Day of 1991, the Kremlin, the center of power for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, saw the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union replaced by the Russian flag thus signaling the end of the totalitarian regimes of Lenin, Stalin and a host of other brutal dictators who terrorized the world as well as their own citizens. The seeds for this destruction were planted by President Ronald Reagan beginning in his first term.

To put it bluntly, Ronald Reagan drove the Soviet Union into bankruptcy. He forced the Soviet Union to spend significantly more than its economy could produce for a sustained period. The lessons from that international economic gambit appear to be lost on President Barack Obama and the Democrat leadership in Congress.


Continue reading "Growing Government Spending and the Decline of Capitalism"

For release March 10, 2010

Cascade Policy Institute
Foundation for Educational Choice

Contact
Christina Martin, Education Policy Analyst
Cascade Policy Institute
503-242-0900
christina@cascadepolicy.org

Paul DiPerna, Research Director
Foundation for Educational Choice
317-229-2131
paul@edchoice.org

Oregon’s High School Dropouts Cost State $400 Million Annually
PORTLAND—Oregon’s high school dropouts are costing state taxpayers more than $400 million per year, according to a study released today by the Foundation for Educational Choice and Cascade Policy Institute. On average Oregon’s dropouts number 218,000 annually—greater than the state and federal governments’ findings—underscoring the state’s need for more productive schooling options particularly during tough budgetary and economic times.


Continue reading "High School Dropouts Cost Oregon $400 Million Annually"

In light of the shocking and sad news of State Treasurer Ben Westlund dying over the weekend, State Senator Rick Metsger (D-Welches) and State Senator Chris Telfer (R-Bend) have stepped up to file for the seat. Below is State Senator Chris Telfer's press release. Reporter Jeff Mapes hinted that Steve Novick and former Rep. Greg Macpherson are interested in the Governor's immediate appointment.

Telfer running for Treasurer
Will use CPA background, work for strong fiscal leadership

BEND – Chris Telfer, a CPA and State Senator from Bend announced today that she will run for State Treasurer. Telfer is a Republican and serves as a member of the Senate Revenue Committee where she has aggressively challenged Salem officials on fiscal management issues. Telfer says that if elected she will use the position to advocate for better fiscal management and financial oversight.


Continue reading "State Treasurer run-off: Senator Metsger, Sen. Tefler."

Taxpayer Association of Oregon,

The largest straw poll in Oregon was conducted by the Taxpayer Association of Oregon with over 830 people responding. The poll shows the voter opinion of what Oregon grassroots taxpayer activist think of the governor candidates. The results of this taxpayer poll show a massive amount of voters are still undecided which makes this one of the most open ended and competitive races in modern memory.




Continue reading "Activist Poll: Gov. Race Dead Heat. Huge undecided"

Entrepreneur and political veteran leaves a legacy of public service to Oregon families

SALEM -- In life, there are those who take the road less followed. Oregon State Treasurer Ben Westlund’s was miles past where the pavement ends. His path took him from Apple Valley, Calif; to the shores of Lake Oswego; to the painted hills of Eastern Oregon; to rural Deschutes County; and then to the statehouse, where he served as a legislator and as Treasurer. In Central Oregon and then the Capitol, where Westlund spent much of the past 13 years since being first elected in 1996, he was known for his easygoing wit and his signature sign off: “Down the trail.”

Westlund’s journey ended too soon. He died early Sunday in Bend, when he lost his battle to cancer. He was 60.
The son of Long Beach oilman Bernard "Bud", and Dorothy Reynolds Westlund, was born Sept. 3, 1949, Spent first 16 years in Apple Valley, California where his father had a successful real estate development. Then his family returned to the Northwest with his two brothers. He graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., where he earned a degree in education and history.
Continue reading "Oregon State Treasurer Ben Westlund dies of cancer"

Cascade Policy Institute’s Christina Martin spoke recently to over 360 high school students about the importance of political involvement and the need for reforming our educational institutions to increase school choice.
Hello, thank you for letting me speak to you today. I am a licensed lawyer, but I am not practicing law. I am instead, trying to shape the creation of law here in Oregon through lobbying and educating Oregonians about important issues. I work for Cascade Policy Institute. Cascade is a free market think tank that thinks up and advocates policy that promotes economic opportunity, individual liberty, and limited government. You can check us out online at CascadePolicy.org or find us on Facebook. Basically, I research issues, write articles, go to Salem and lobby legislators, speak to grass roots groups, and try to get citizens to help me improve Oregon’s policy.

So I was asked to speak to you today about getting involved with politics now.

The truth is that I was not exactly involved in politics when I was your age. Sure, I debated the issues. I read the newspaper often enough and debated issues with friends. But I wasn’t doing much. There were many reasons for that. I thought I was too busy. I thought that I needed to know everything about an issue to get involved. I thought that it was too hard and excused my lack of involvement by saying that I didn’t have time and I couldn’t make any real difference yet. But now I know better. And I want you to know better.


Continue reading "Let the Tireless Minority Prevail!"

Since the beginning of the Dorchester Conference, delegates have had an opportunity to vote for their favorite candidate in a straw poll on the last day of the conference. The results have not always predicted the state primary election results, but encourages supporters to continue to work for their choice for governor. Will that tradition continue, or will this year break the pattern?

The debates are over, the votes are in and the winner of the 2010 Gubernatorial Straw Poll is:
Allen Alley with 225 votes.

Chris Dudley received 165 votes, and John Lim received 47 votes.

You know I’m not crazy about paying my taxes either, but if you’re working for the government you really ought to pay the IRS.

The story is kind of stunning. Hundreds and hundreds of people who work for the federal government simply haven’t paid their taxes. According to Politico, 447 House employees and 231 Senate workers didn’t pay their taxes in 2008.


Continue reading "Lars Larson: Federal employees not paying their taxes"

At the CD-1 debate, Moderator Sen. Bruce Star's introductions were interrupted by someone calling for the inclusion of the candidate, Doug Keller, who was not invited to debate with John Kuzmanich and Rob Cornilles. He spent the time “tweeting” his own answers to the questions put to the candidates on the stage.
Both candidates seemed to agree philosophically. The only disagreements between candidates were on style. Cornilles focused on answering the issues while Kuzmanich split his time between discussing the issues and making personal attacks. Whether this approach will pay off is anybody’s guess.

The Oregon legislature is once again increasing the web of red tape for Oregon’s virtual charter schools via House Bill 3660. Last year, the legislature passed a two-year moratorium on virtual schools. It capped enrollment and temporarily forbade future waivers from a misguided regulation requiring half of charter school students to live in the school’s home district. The regulation limits the power of virtual education to help students everywhere.

House Bill 3660 feels a bit like extortion for parents who support school choice. On one hand, the bill holds some essential provisions that will allow virtual schools to plan for the future by applying for waivers prior to the moratorium’s expiration. It also protects the Oregon Virtual Academy from losing a significant portion of its enrollment due to poor wording in last year’s bill.


Continue reading "More Red Tape for Virtual Charter Schools"

The Dorchester Gubernatorial debate moderator U.S. Congressman Greg Walden introduced candidates, Allen Alley, Chris Dudley, and John Lim.

In their opening statements Sen. Lim declared he was within several points of his opponent. Mr. Dudley said now is the time to stay, fight, and move Oregon in a new direction. Mr. Alley called the Republican Party the party of “Know” (as in we know what to do).

Dudley veered toward something different when he began his opening statements by walking away from the poduim and strolling along the stage talking to the audience. Greg Walden, the moderator, reminded everyone that speakers must stay at the poduim and the brief momement of creativity was put to a halt.

When Lim was asked what is the difference between the candidates he said that Dudley was "taller" and Alley was "fatter" which brought outrageous laughter from the audience.

Continue reading "Dorchester - The Governor's Debate"

CHICAGO, IL USA - What a difference a year makes! Last year at this time, global warming "skeptics" were dismissed as being a fringe group of dissenters from "the overwhelming consensus" of scientific opinion. Now, their critics are admitting that the science is far from settled and that global warming is not the crisis it was once made out to be.

Recent months have seen the collapse of international negotiations for a global warming treaty in Copenhagen, revelations of scientific fraud committed by a leading climate research organization, and demands for the resignation of the chairman of the United Nations' global warming panel. British and Canadian newspapers are declaring the end of the global warming "fraud."


Continue reading "Global Warming Conference Heats Up in May 2010"

ORP CHAIRMAN TO REPS. SMITH AND JENSON: REJECT CAMPAIGN SUPPORT FROM UNIONS FOR VOTES IN SUPPORT OF TAX INCREASES
Representatives should reject support or consider withdrawing from Primary Election

Portland, Ore. – Oregon Republican Party Chairman Bob Tiernan has released the following statement concerning the Primary Elections in Oregon House Districts 57 and 58:

“The passage of the corporate and personal income tax increases during the 2009 legislative session was unfortunately made possible by the support of two Republican Representatives, Greg Smith and Bob Jenson. The devastating impacts of these tax increases on Oregon’s economy are just beginning to be realized. To make matters worse, it has recently come to light that the same public employee unions who bankrolled the misleading pro-tax campaign are planning to provide monetary, consulting and grassroots support to Representatives Smith and Jenson in recognition of their votes in favor of the tax increases,” said Chairman Tiernan.
Continue reading "GOP chair urges Rep. Smith and Jenson to reject union support or quit"

The President announces his plan for improving public education. It’s very expensive. I’ll tell you my plan. It’s very cheap.

The President’s plan for improving public education is hundreds of millions of dollars. In other words, throw more money at it and maybe it will improve.

I’ve never seen a situation where a failing institution with more dollars tossed at it is going to improve. So, here’s my four part plan in a nutshell.


Continue reading "Lars Larson: The President’s expensive plan for improving public education."

Please join us at
Executive Club Meeting
6:00 pm • Wed, March 3rd • Airport Shilo

"Why We're Stuck in Traffic ...
and what can be done about it ."


Randal O'Toole great friend of the Executive Club, who is well known for his expert and clear eyed views about the messes that government creates in the areas of urban growth, public lands, and transportation will be the featured speaker at the March meeting,. Fresh off his recent appearance on John Stossel's exciting new show on Fox News, Randal will be focusing on issues covered in his newest book, Gridlock, which addresses the mess in our ailing transportation systems which have been created by misguided government planners.

O'Toole will outline solutions for increasing highway capacities while making auto travel safer, faster and more energy efficient. He will reveal for us his three core principles which will improve and increase American mobility. Don't miss this Cato Institute Senior Fellow who brings his energetic and unconventional thinking to transportation strategies.

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to make a critical decision on the Second Amendment this term. This week the court will hear the oral arguments of McDonald v. Chicago. The decision will apply to all states, but the Supreme Court of Washington State recently made a similar decision for its citizens. In mid-February, the court ruled on State v. Sieyes, stating that an individual’s right to bear arms, guaranteed by the Second Amendment, applies to states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Pacific Legal Foundation gives a wonderful summary of the case and how the Court reached its conclusion here. The Sieyes ruling only applies to the state of Washington, but hopefully this is an indication of how the U.S. Supreme Court may reach a conclusion which would protect a citizen’s liberty and freedom.

Karla Kay Edwards is Rural Policy Analyst at Cascade Policy Institute.

Jim Huffman Set to Announce U.S. Senate Campaign

On Thursday, March 4th, Jim Huffman will announce his entry into the United States Senate race for the seat occupied by Sen. Ron Wyden. The announcement will take place at the headquarters of The Halton Company at 4421 NE Columbia Blvd, Portland at 5:00 PM.
The Halton Company, which recently celebrated its 70th year in Oregon selling and servicing the CAT™ line of heavy equipment, has been hit hard by the recession. “It is entirely appropriate that I should announce my candidacy at the headquarters of this great Oregon company,” said Jim Huffman. “My campaign will be about jobs for Oregonians. Halton Company is a bellwether for the health of the Oregon economy.”
Huffman served as Dean of the Lewis & Clark Northwestern School of Law from 1994 through 2006, when he stepped down to continue teaching as the Erskine Wood Sr. Professor of Law. Prior to becoming Dean, Huffman taught law at Lewis & Clark since 1973.

Session Ends—Balanced Budget, Annual Sessions and Chinese Language Opportunities for Oregon Students
State Representative Dennis Richardson,

The 2010 legislative special session has ended; Oregonians can sleep in peace. Much was accomplished--some say too much--and the system worked. The debate and decorum were civil. The budget was rebalanced. The question of annual legislative sessions is being referred for a citizens’ vote, and the approval for Oregon students to have Chinese language opportunities was unanimous.

The budget was balanced. House Bill 5100 is a complicated appropriations bill clearly summarized by Statesman Journal’s veteran political reporter, Peter Wong. I voted to pass HB 5100, not because it was a perfect bill, but because it was necessary to rebalance the budget after the negative March 2010 Forecast blew a $183 million hole in Oregon’s anticipated revenues and, under current circumstances, it was the best bill we were going to see. Before casting my vote in the Joint Senate and House Ways & Means Committee, I reminded our committee of the dark financial storm clouds gathering over the horizon of the 2011-13 Budget. I said the longer we back-fill budget deficits with dwindling reserves, the more drastic the consequences will be when those reserves are gone. The advice was well-received…and ignored. For our legislative leaders, Oregon’s approaching financial storm does not yet justify down-sizing our state’s overhead. In my opinion, Oregon’s economy is not yet in recovery, and we may find ourselves in another “emergency session” to deal with further decreases in state revenues.
Continue reading "Representative Dennis Richardson: Session review and China."

The Klamath Basin has been waging a water war of epic proportions since 2001. Although this community has had a long history of water disputes, the issue garnered national recognition in early 2001 when a drought was declared and irrigators’ water was turned off in order to protect endangered fish in the Klamath River. It took another four years of economic and environmental catastrophes before many of the parties involved would join together in July 2005 to begin to discuss a settlement agreement. At this point the real game began, and the rules started to change.

Water rights have developed over decades from a common-law basis where prior appropriation was key. Water rights are established on a timeline, with the most assured rights held by the oldest rights holder, known as “senior.” All water rights with a date filed after that time are considered “junior” to the senior water right holder. So, for example, during a drought the junior water right holder must turn off their water before the senior right holder does. The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement signed on February 18, 2010 overturns this system and risks throwing the region into chaos.


Continue reading "Klamath Restoration Agreement Makes Water Rights a Water Sport"